Hampshire handed suspended points deduction by ECB

Hampshire have been given a suspended points deduction by the ECB after their players were found to have committed at least five fixed penalty offences over a 12-month period.

A three-man Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) Disciplinary Panel decided the county had not done enough to improve disciplinary standards.

They therefore handed Hampshire a 16-point deduction in the County Championship, suspended for a year, as well as a £4,000 fine.

Fixed penalty offences relate to “certain conduct whether on or off the field of play amounting to a breach of the Laws of Cricket and/or the Spirit of Cricket.”

A statement on the ECB’s official website read: “A CDC Disciplinary Panel was convened to hear a charge brought by the ECB against Hampshire Cricket relating to five or more separate occasions when their registered cricketers committed fixed penalty offences over a 12-month period.

“The panel, made up of Ricky Needham, Mike Smith and Tim O’Gorman, was concerned insufficient measures had been taken by Hampshire to proactively address their ongoing responsibility to maintain disciplinary standards with players.

“The panel imposed a penalty of a points deduction of 16 points in the LV= County Championship, two points in the NatWest T20 Blast or two points in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

“These point deductions are suspended for a period of 12 months and will be applied if a further fixed penalty offence occurs within that period in the competition in which the offence takes place.

“The Panel also imposed a fine of £4,000 and a hearing cost contribution of £500.

“No further comment will be made.”